Saturday, May 08, 2010

Hello and welcome to issue #19 of Edi's Weekend Wave. What a week! Again more work than expected. Beside that we celebrated the 50th birthday fo ediFanoB's wife. I hope to read more books next week when I have some days off. And now enjoy reading ...

Edi's Guidepost

The LighthouseNews and information straight from the horse's mouth by Lighthouse keeper ediFanoB

QuotesThe member of the house of quotes and a quote himself the Keeper of the minutes ( we call him Kotm) fished for you

German proverbs, sayings and idioms Charles Caleb Colton. . . . .

The Lighthouse

Did you notice the change of the Google search site? I was outraged when I saw the new sidebar on the left.Don't get me wrong I'm not against new things. I hate to get changes without any advanced notice.But the worst thing is that they don't offer any possibility to change to the old view.Luckily there are a lot of creative people who offer help. Here is one solution I like:When you want to search with Google then start with this linkhttp://www.google.com/webhp?hl=all instead of the usual link.

Books

Dear readers, I'm the one to tell you about books - only books? What about novellas and other stuff? My name is Bona. I scour shelves, shops and the net for books. If you call me a book whore I would not gainsay you. But be aware I have my own, sometimes elusive taste.

This week we received two books, one fantasy and one science fiction.Let us start with science fiction.The Orphaned Worlds (2010) [ISBN-13: 978-1841496337] by Michael Cobley is the second book in the The Humanity's Fire series. I liked the first book in the series - Seeds of Earth - a lot.Just read my review.

"Darien is no longer a lost outpost of humanity, but the prize in an intergalactic power struggle. Hegemony forces have a stranglehold over the planet and crack troops patrol its hotspots while Earth watches, passive, rendered impotent by galactic politics. But its Darien ambassador will soon become a player in a greater conflict. There is more at stake than a turf war on a newly discovered world.An ancient Uvovo temple hides access to a hyperspace prison, housing the greatest threat sentient life has ever known. Millennia ago, malignant intelligences were caged there following an apocalyptic war. And their servants work on their release.However, Darien's guardians have not been idle, gathering resistance on the planet's forest moon. Knowledge has been lost since great races battled in eons past, and now time is short. The galaxy will depend on the Uvovo reclaiming their past - and humanity must look to its future. For a new war is coming." [Back of the book]

The next book is from the well known author Kevin J. Anderson. First published in 2009, I got now my paperback copy of The Edge of the World (2010) [ISBN-13: 978-0316004190] which is the first book in the Terra Incognita series."Terra Incognita - the blank spaces on the map, past the edge of the known world only by the words here be monsters.Two nations at war, fighting for dominion over the world, pin their last hopes of ultimate victory on finding a land out of legend.Each will send its ships to brave the untamed waters, wild storms, sea serpents, and darker dangers unseen by any man. It is a perilous undertaking, but there will always be the impetuous, the brave, and the mad, willing to leave their homes to explore unknown. Even unto the edge of the world ..." [Back of the book]

Listen to what Kevin J. Anderson told about his new series last year.

I think it was a mistake that I listened to the author again because now I would like to read The Edge of the World immediately...

How important is the age of a hero for you?From time to time I would like to read books with main characters who are older than I am. I don't mean immortals or people with an extraordinary span of life. Therefore I'm glad that I discovered following book:The Veteran (June 2010) [ISBN-13: 978-1616142476] by Gavin Smith. From left to right: German Cover, Gollancz cover, Orion cover. I think the Orion cover fits best."Three hundred years in our future, in a world of alien infiltrators, religious hackers, a vast convoying nation of Nomads, city sized orbital elevators, and a cyborg pirate king who believes himself to be a mythological demon Jakob is having a bad day: "Nothing gets in the way of a hangover like being reactivated by your old C.O and told to track down an alien killing machine. The same kind of killing machine that wiped out my entire squad. And now it's in my hometown. My name is Jakob Douglas, ex-special forces. I fought Them. Just like we've all been doing for 60 bloody years. But I thought my part in that was done with. My boss has other ideas. If I didn't find the infiltrator then he'd let the Grey Lady loose on me. And believe me; even They've got nothing on her. So I took the job. It went to shit even faster than normal. And now I'm on the run with this teenage hacker who's had enough of prostitution. The only people I can rely on want to turn the internet into God. And now it turns out that They aren't quite what we'd all thought. I've been to the bottom of the sea and the top of the sky and beyond trying to get to the truth. And I still can't get far enough away from the Grey Lady. All things considered I'd rather be back at home deep in a whiskey bottle." Veteran is a fast paced, intricately plotted violent SF Thriller set in a dark future against the backdrop of a seemingly never ending war against an unknowable and implacable alien enemy." [Source]

In seven months time I will give one more vampire book a try. I talk about The Vampire Empire: The Greyfriar (December 2010) [ISBN-13: 978-1616142476] by Clay and Susan Griffith. The Setting aroused my interest:

"In the year 1870, a horrible plague of vampires swept over the northern regions of the world. Millions of humans were killed outright. Millions more died of disease and famine due to the havoc that followed. Within two years, once great cities were shrouded by the grey empire of the vampire clans. Human refugees fled south to the tropics because vampires could not tolerate the constant heat there. They brought technology and a feverish drive to reestablish their shattered societies of steam and iron amid the mosques of Alexandria, the torrid quietude of Panama, or the green temples of Malaya.It is now 2020 and a bloody reckoning is coming.Princess Adele is heir to the Empire of Equatoria, a remnant of the old tropical British Empire. She is quick with her wit as well as with a sword or gun. She is eager for an adventure before she settles into a life of duty and political marriage to man she does not know. But her quest turns black when she becomes the target of a merciless vampire clan. Her only protector is The Greyfriar, a mysterious hero who fights the vampires from deep within their territory. Their dangerous relationship plays out against an approaching war to the death between humankind and the vampire clans.Vampire Empire: The Greyfriar is the first book in a trilogy of high adventure and alternate history." [Source]

Wild West and Steampunk - does that fit together? I must say I was not a big fan of the movie Wild Wild West starring Will Smith. But the following book will maybe change my opinion: The Buntline Special (December 2010) [ISBN-13: 978-1616142490] by Mike Resnick. By the why do you know what a buntline special is?

"The year is 1881. The United States of America ends at the Mississippi River. Beyond lies the Indian nations, where the magic of powerful Medicine Men have halted the advance of the Americans east of the river.An American government desperate to expand its territory sends Thomas Alva Edison out West to the town of Tombstone, Arizona on a mission to discover a scientific means of counteracting magic. Hired to protect this great genius, Wyatt Earp and his brothers.But there are plenty who would like to see the Earps and Edison dead. Riding to their aid--old friends Doc Holliday and Bat Masterson. Against them stand the Apache wizard Geronimo and the Clanton gang. Battle lines are drawn, and the Clanton gang, which has their own reasons for wanting Edison dead, sends for Johnny Ringo, the one man who might be Doc Holliday's equal in a gunfight. But what shows up instead is The Thing That Was Once Johnny Ringo, returned from the dead and come to Tombstone looking for a fight.Welcome to a West like you’ve never seen before, where “Bat Masterson” hails from the ranks of the undead, where electric lights shine down on the streets of Tombstone, while horseless stagecoaches carry passengers to and fro, and where death is no obstacle to The Thing That Was Once Johnny Ringo. Think you know the story of the O.K. Corral? Think again, as five time Hugo winner Mike Resnick takes on his first steampunk western tale, and the West will never be the same."[Source]

No more today, need sleepSee you next week ......

Blogosphere

Hey, I'm Bona Fide. I just came back from my last foray through the blogosphere. What can you expect from me? I tell you: Everything from Art to Fart as long as there is any faint connection to books. And here is some honey from the beehive blogosphere...

From time to time I post about small publishers and their authors. One of these small publishers is Seven Star Press. So far I read two books by Seven Star Press author Stephen Zimmer who has been so kind to delivered me following message.

"Seventh Star Press is proud to announce the addition of Fantasy/Horrorwriter Steven L. Shrewsbury to its family of authors, with the forthcomingrelease of the dark-edged fantasy novel Thrall.Thrall tells the tale of Gorias La Gaul, an aging warrior who is thrustinto a maelstrom involving warring factions, demonic forces from his past,and a grandson who is in the shadow of necromancy. Set in an antediluvianworld, around the mythical city of Khabnur, Thrall brings to life a taleof adventure, adversity, and courage. From Nephilums to undead dragons,the world revealed in Thrall is as dangerous and unpredictable as much asit delivers resoundingly to those who love well-crafted, hard hittingfantasy in the vein of Robert E. Howard and David Gemmell.Shrewsbury is no stranger to fantasy and horror fans, with a great numberof novels and short stories published. Some of his recent, well-receivedworks include the novels Tormentor (Lachesis Publishing), Hawg (GravesideTales) and Stronger Than Death (Snuff Books). He also had a short storyrecently published in the anthology Harlan County Horrors (ApexPublications)The book will feature cover art and additional artwork from fantasy artistMatthew Perry, whose illustrations and cover art are featured in both TheRising Dawn Saga and the Fires in Eden series from author Stephen Zimmer(Seventh Star Press).The projected release date window for Thrall is October/November of 2010.Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official sitefor Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com , or at the author'ssite at www.stevenshrewsbury.com"

I look forward to read Thrall. As I mentioned before, aging heroes arise my interest form time to time...

That's it for today. Come back next week for more ......

Movies

Hey, it's me Fide. I'm a remote control professional. I'm that fast that I can watch two movies at the same time.But don't worry. All the stuff I present to you will be shown at normal speed.

Today I am back with something which looks strange for us. It is from 1935 - Cowboys and science fiction - I won't tell you more. Just watch the video.

QuotesI 'm the Keeper of the minutes. But I don't mind when you call me Kotm. No, no. I don't explain to you how to pronounce.I was looking for some information about colt when I came across Charles Caleb Colton (1780–1832), English cleric, writer and collector. So I decided you get Charles Caleb Colton quotes this week...

"Men are born with two eyes, but only one tongue, in order that they should see twice as much as they say.”Charles Caleb Colton (1780–1832), English cleric, writer and collector

"If you would be known, and not know, vegetate in a village; If you would know, and not be known, live in a city.”Charles Caleb Colton (1780–1832), English cleric, writer and collector

"When you have nothing to say, say nothing.”Charles Caleb Colton (1780–1832), English cleric, writer and collector

"Many books require no thought from those who read them, and for a very simple reason; they made no such demand upon those who wrote them.”Charles Caleb Colton (1780–1832), English cleric, writer and collector

"We hate some persons because we do not know them; and we will not know them because we hate them.”Charles Caleb Colton (1780–1832), English cleric, writer and collector

2 comments:

I've just started reading Veteran yesterday and have to say how much I'm enjoying it :) Re: the two UK covers, the one in the middle is the final one and the right one (which actually really fits well) was just an early version so won't be used. A shame, but the final cover does have a wider appeal :)